Electric recording instrument.



A. L. $011 ELECTRIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1910.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

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A. L. SOHM. ELECTRIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26, 1910.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

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A. L. SOHM. ELECTRIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1910.

. Patented Oct. 14, 1913;

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Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

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A. L. SOHM.

ELECTRIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED-JULY 26, 191?).

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A. L. SOHM.

ELECTRIC RECORDING INSTRUMENT;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1910.

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- Patented 0011.141913.

UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED LOUIS some, 0]? Los" AITGELES, cALIFo-nnm, Ass'renon r0 THE sornvr Eisne- Trac- SIGNAL & nnoonmne COMPA'NY, or sPOK'ANE; wasrtme'ron, A comma-o anaemic RECORDING insrnunnnr.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pateneea'oea1a1913.

Application meam 26', 1910; Serial no. 5743000.

resident of the city' and county of Los' Angeles, State of Galifornia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Recording Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electric signal and recording systems; and it provides a simple andeflicient means whereby a cheap and inexpensive apparatus is capable of use with a large numberof outlets, with asmall number of circuiting wires The apparatus herein is designed to record and indicate the year, month, day, hour and minute,- and the a. m. or p. m.,. and

also an in and an out designation, and any other special character, as, for instance, a watchmans report, or a mistake or rectifying notice, on a printed slip, which slip may be torn off at intervals and preserved.-

It is also designed" to designate the number of the employee, when used with an em-' ployees entrance plate, or to designate-the room numbergwhen used in hotels or public buildings, or the stationif used in fire alarm or police systems, the object being to make an easily operated piece of .mechanism whereby a single circuit will contain in itself the capacity for any series of numbers which may be necessary for either of these purposes, as will now be set forth in detail.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved electric signal and recording mechanism. Fi 2 is-a top or plan view of the same. .ig.'3 is a front view of a portion of the tripping and reversing device for the ink ribbon mechanism. Fig. 4 is a View of part of the vertical arm which carries the tripping device. Fig. 5 is an edge view of. the tripping device. Fig. 6 is a view -'of the rear side of the link of the tripping mechanism.- Fig. 7 is' a view of the tripping device showing manner of changing the double-acting pawl from one wheel to the other. 'Fig. 8 is a view of the right hand end of the recording mechanism. Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 9 of Fig. 11, of a portion' of the base of the laterally-movable carriage which carries the type bar mechanism. Fig. 10 is a vertical cross section of the time printing magnets and armature,

sh owing special construction of the core and armature; F g; 11' is a plan view of the base plate of the mechamsm. Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section of the base plate along line 11 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is arear end view of' the removable frame, which contains the mechanism for printing the time, and the paper'feed' rollers, and carries theinlting ribbon; Fig. 14 is avertical longitudifnal section of this frame on line 1 4 of Fig-13. Fig. 15' is a horizental section of part oftheframe, on line 15 of Fi 13, and Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view 0? the circuits. I

In constructing my invention I provide a rectangular'ly-f n ned base plate 14 of suitable metal, which is mounted" on four legs 15 and this plate is surmounted by a top plate 16, which extends partially over] the base pl'ate,havinga cut-out portion, as indicated by the dotted lines 17', in Fig. 11, thus forming two side members 18, between which is mounted the mec'hani'sm'for carr'yingthe ribbon wheels and the timeprint- .ing mechanism.

Beneath the base plate 14,. and secured thereto, are the magneto coils 20 for operating the time printing mechanism hereinafter described as the time coils, which are held by a bracket 21 to the base plate. At one end is a horizontally-disposed rocking armature 22, which is hinged at its ends to brackets 23-, at 24, and an arm projects horizontally in a longitudinal direction, below thejbase plate, terminating in an eye, to which is hin ed avertical link bar 26, the upper end' 0 this link being'hinged to the arm 79 which operates the time printing mechanism. The arm 25 operates through a slotted opening 27 in the base plate 14, and a' flat spring 28, secured tothe base plate and bearing on the arm 25, restores the arm to its normal position" after each operation. The electromagnets 20'are connected up in a circuit including the battery- 20* and a clock 20, which is provided with contact mechanism adapted to close the circuit at regular intervals. A magneto coil 30,.for actuating the in and out mechanism, is also secured to the under side of the base plate by downwardly-projecting bracket 31-, the lower end of which carries a pivoted armature bar 32. This armature bar passes horizontally beneath the magneto coil 30, terminating in a dog 33, adapted to engage the lower end of the vertically-disposed armature 34. The upper end of this armature is hinged to the bracket arm 35, at 36, where it is bent at right angles to form a horizontal member 37, the .end of which has an eye that is hinged to a vertical link- 38, which extends up and is hinged to the arm 78 that actuates the in and out segment of the recorder. The other end of the armature lever 32, as at 39, serves as an armature which is actuated by a vertically-disposed magneto coil 40, the oflice of thiscoil being to disengage the dog 33 from the armature 34 when the printing operation takes place,

Mounted on the bed plate 14 is a laterallymovable plate 43, slightly smaller than the base plate 14; This plate is designed to carry the type bar mechanism, and has a slight lateral movement. To provide for this movement the base plate 14, and also the base plate 43 of the carriage, are provided with four short laterally-extending and coinciding runway guides 44, adapted to receive the anti-friction balls 45. The

, lateral motion of this carriage is controlled by two pairs of electromagnets 46, 47, secured transversely to the under side of the base plate 14, by means of brackets 48, the

pole piccesof these magnets projecting toward each other, and between which is placed a vertical armature bar 49 which projects down through an aperture 50 in the base plate 14, and has its upperend secured to the carriage 43 by means of mally bolts 51.

One end of the armature 49 has a horizontal projection 52 which lies between the two cally-disposed and arranged in circular formation, the radii of their respective type bars 57 being from a common center, which is alongside, or at one end of the time printing mechanism, so that when the printing of the numerals is performed by these type bars it. will appear on ,the recorder tape along one'margin and on a line with the date of the operation, Each coil 56 has an armature 58, the outer end of which is V hinged to a vertical post 59, the inner end beingin contact with the segmental stops.

or notches 60 of the printing bar 57, and

'so arranged thatwhen the coil 56 is enerand is then gized the drawing down of the armature 58 will cause the type bar to swing upwardly and print the character thereon, on the paper web.

The. frame which carries the time printing wheels, the inking ribbon, the paper feeding rolls, the in and out segment and the pad against which operate, is adapted to slide in between the side members 18. This frame is made up the type barsof the two side members 65 secured together at one end by a cross rod 66 and having across its rear end a vertical plate 67, on the upper end of which is mounted two ribbon wheels 68, each being secured on a threaded bearing stem 69 by a thumb nut70 and a spider 71 to secure adjustment by frictional contact. Below these wheels, and on a line therewith, are rollers 72, each of which is located beyond the side plate 65, mounted on an extension arm 73, integral with the plate 67. The inking ribbon 74 therefore passes through below these rollers from side 1 to side, the ends being secured to the respec-' tive ribbon wheels 68.

The wheels for printing the year, month,

day, hour, and other periods of time, are located on a fixed shaft 76 at the lower side of the rear end of the frame members 65. This shaft has also at one end a rocking member 77, provided with an arm 78, which is hinged to the vertically-disposed operating link 38' heretofore described. On this rocking member 01' segment is the type character In and Out.

A, The shaft 7 6 rests at one end in a yoke 80, which has an opening 81 through which the type bars 57 operate, and directly above, and on a line with the time printing wheels, is a horizontal pad 83,: secured at its ends to links 84, the upper ends of said links being hinged to the rear ends of a pair of oscil- 'lating levers 85. These levers lie alongside the frame members 65 and extend forward past the end of the said frame members ter- -minating' in a cross bar 86 which serves as an armature. The levers are hlnged to the cross connecting rod 66 of the frame, so that the rear ends of these levers have a limited vertical movement which carries the pad 83 up and down during the printing operation.

- The aper feed rollers are mounted forward of and above the printing wheels, the upper roller 85 having at one or at both ends a toothed wheel 86 which coacts with a dog- 87 on the lower end of a hinged finger 88, the upper end of the latter being hinged to the lever 85, and, for purposes of convenience, a cross rod 89 serves the purpose of uniting the ends'of the levers 85 and also acts as a pivot pin for the finger 88 as well as for the link 84. Below the roller 85 is a smaller friction roller 90 mounted within the slotted guide ways 91 of the side 11181111 animals has 65, aspiring 92 being employed nieach and, within the guide way, $1, to keep the roller W in contact with the upper roller .85, y and thus give a OSlihlYG feed to the paper 94, Fig. 1, and a so by dotted line 94, 14, which fed through between these rollers, :a/nd issues from the frame so that 1 it may be tern of along the edge of the 1 frame plate 67.

on the frame.

ing the vertical end members 97, having a top cross connecting plate -98, this latter plate being above the armature bar 86. The .core 99 of each magnet '96 is concaved at its lower end, as at 100, Fig. 10, and the armaturev bar has conical points 101 adapted to enter'sthe concaved ends of the cores when the armature is drawn upwardly. The object of this construction is to bring the arms.- ture closer to the magnetic field oft-he cores, and at the same time give a greater range of movement to the armature. The cores of the magnets are secured in sockets the frame 98, and are readily removable.

The ribbon wheels "68 are actuated by a 'pecu 'ha-rly formed mechanism so arranged that when the ribbon 74 is completely unwound from one wheel 68, the tension of the feeding mechanism will automatically trip the feeding pawl and throw the latter into engagement with the .other wheel ofthe ribbon, thus reversing the direction of movement of the ribbonwithout requiring any attention on-the part of the user. This tripping and reversing mechanism is shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The printing pad 83 has attached thereto .on its upper side a cross vertical plate 105, having midway between its ends a vertical stem 106, which has its upperend slotted, as at 107, and held in vertical alinement by means of a horizonial post 108, secured to the upper end of the plate 67, and an adjustable screw 109 which passes through the slot 107, so that the stem 106 is free to move verticallv.

On the front side of .the cross plate 105,.

midway between its ends is-hinged the lower cnd'of a link 111, at 112, the upper end of the link having atriangularly-shaped tripping vpawl 113, hinged thereto by the pivot 114. The upper diverging ends of the tripping pawl have teeth 115 which are designed to contact with the teeth 116 of the disks 117 which form apart of the ribbon rollers 68. As the toothed disks are on the same plane with the triangularshaped pawl 113 between them, it is obvious that the link 111, in swinging laterally, will bring the teeth into engagement with one of the toothed-disks 117.

The stem 106 has stop-pins 118 alongside of the link 111 to limit its lateral movement, and on the rear of the stem is a tubular housing 119, within which is a pin 120, seated against a spring 121, the pin passing through the stem 1 06 and having its rounded or pointed end resting against the rear side of (the link and adapted to enter one of the detents or countersunk holes 122 formed in the area-1- side .of the link,-as shown in Fig. 6. The action of'the spring 121 is sufiicient to hold, normally, the pin 1:20 in one of the deterrts 122, and thus prevent the link from swinging over, but if there should be an exhnaordinary stress exerted laterall on the link the spring would permit the pinto disengage and thus allow the link to swing over and engage the pin with the other detent.

As the :triamgularlysshaped tripping pawl 113 has a limb -123 extending below the pivot point 114:, .a coiled spring 124: connects the extension 123 with the pa-vo't pin 112. The object of this spring is to hold the triangularly-shaped tripping pawl 113 and the link 111 normally in line with each other. lVhen,

for instance, the stem 106 and'pawl 113 are moved upwardly, as shown by dart 126, Fig. 3, the disk of the ribbon wheel is moved upwardly carrying the inking ribbon toward and around that wheel, as the friction spider 71 of the other wheel is not sufiiciently strong to trip the pawl. If, however, the ribbon should be entirely unwound from the wheel on the left side, and the pawl in moving upwardly should not be able 'to turn the toothed wheel in the right side, with which it is in engagement, the friction-pin 120 would become disengaged from the detent 122 and thus cause the upper end of the link 111 to swing to the left'as showh in Fig. 7, and when the stem 106, and pawl 113, again move downwardly, the spring 121 would throw the upper endof the triangularly-shaped pawl to the left, thus causing it to engage with the teeth-of the disk on :the other ribbon wheel, with the result that the wheel on the left side would then begin to take on the ribbon.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: As shown by the diagrammatic view, Fig. 16, I employ three vertical columns of digits, from 1 to 0 inclusive, in order to signal or record any number up to and includ-' ing 999. The carriage 43 which carries the type bar mechanism is normally in such a position that if a circuit should be closed in the middle or tens column of digits the type bar 57 would print in the tens column, as the circuit-does not pass throughor actuate either of the shift-in coils 46, 47 but if a. circuit closer in the hundreds column is used, then the shifting coils 47 are energized,

. a with the result that the armature 49 is drawn over, carrying the type bar mechanism such a distance to the left as will bring the impact ofthe type bar in the hundreds column on the paper web of the recorder, and in like manner a circuit closer in the units column of digits will actuate the coil 46 and thus cause the type bars to print in the units column.

For the purpose of explaining more fully the circuits, it should be noted 7 that the shifting coils 46, 47, are double, one of the coils L being wound low resistance and the other coil H high resistance. The circuit wire 130 from the hundreds column of digits is connected up with the. L magnet of coils 47, and its other terminal by a branch wire 131, with a spring finger 132 which is parallel with a spring finger 133 that is adapted to be moved over by the armature, and contact with finger 132 when the magnet is excited.

The other magnet H, of the coils 47, has

i one of its terminals connected up in common with the magnet L, and its other terminal by a wire 134 with the spring finger 133 and also with the battery 135 by .wire 136. The other pole of the battery has a wire 137 which leads to a common 138, and between this common and the entrance plateare the coils 56 for actuating the type bars, the circuit wires from the type bar coils to the entrance plate being designated by 139.

The tens column of digits has a wire 140 which leads directly to the battery through wire 136, and wire 37, connects the "otherterminal of the battery with the common 138 through the type printing coils and returncircuit wires '139, thus actuating the type printing bars without passing through either the shifting coils 46, 47, or the time printing coils 96. v

The circuit from the units digits passes over the wire 143 to the low winding L of the coils 46, thence throughfihe branch wire 144 to the spring finger 145,- The high resistance magnet H has its terminal wire. eon.- nectedup with the spring finger 147, and

also with the return wirev 136 which goes to the battery,from which point the circuit islagain completed through wires-137, 138, printing coil 56, and wire 139. v 1 We will assume that the number to be signaled at the entrance'plate, or at the out-, lying station, is 357; the operator presses the button 3 in the hundreds column thus actuating the L and H magnets 47 causing the armature 49 to be drawn over and thus moving thecarriage laterally a suflicient distance to print the 3 in the hundreds column; and the further action of the movement of the armature 49 is to contact the fingers 132, 133, thus cutting out the high resistance coil 8. During the initial impulse, as the high resistance coil H is in the circuit, there is not enough energy to actuate thetype bars 56,

but as soon as the high resistance coil is thus cut out, the circuit is sufiicient to perform the printing operation. When the circuit is again opened, the springs 53 return the armature to its central or intermediate position between the poles of the magnets, so that when the digit 5 in the tens column is signaled, the type bar prints that digit without requiring any'movement on the part of the carriage. The digit 7 is then signaled in the units column, and the coils 46 are energized, drawing over and type bars so that the corresponding number is printed in the units column. Up to this time there is no other print or character on the paper web excepting the number printed which has been signaled from the employees entrance plate, but the In ,or Out designation from the entrance plate, or a watchmans signal mechanism is thrown into position-for printing on the paper web. The type printing wheels (which are actuated by a master clock, and are necessarily in an electric circuit independent of the circuits in the recorder) have not, up to this time, printed the date or time on the paper web, nor has the In or Out or thewatchmans designation been printed, although those characters have been moved, as stated, into position ready to be printed, and it is now in order that the operation of printing the date and the other designations on the paper web shall take place immediately after the signal number has been printed. This is accomplished by placing the-time printing coils in an independent circuit from one pole of the battery 135, by a wire 150, to the time printing coils96, thence by wire 151 to a finger 152 parallel with a spring finger .145, and so related therewith that when the armature 49 is drawn over and "the spring finger 147 moves the finger 145 laterally, the latter will the armature 49' 86. e The result is that the printing pad is moved downwardly, making the time impression on the paper web, as well as the watchmans designation and the In and Dut characters.

carry the printing pad, return to their normal position by the act-ion'of thespring 66'- the dogs 88, engaging with the ratchet wheel 86', turn the tape roller 85- so as to progress the paper 94 one space. The in and the out coils 40 and 30, respectively, are connected up with their -respective circuit closers of the tery 137 From the common 138 is a, conductor which connects with one terminahof each of the'eoils '30, 40,- the other terminal of the battery and the other side ofthe 'bat- As the levers 85, which connects-the common 138 by the wire' by a Wire 154 which goes to-one side A coil 30 having a wire 156 which goes toithe fii nemesis out circuit closer in the entrance and the other'coil 40 has a wire 157 goes to the in circuit closer.

What I claim as'new, is

1. An electric recording instrument, comprising a frame, a time printing mechanism adapted to print the time and other suitable designations across a paper web, a set of type printing bars at each end of the frame below the time printing mechanism, electrir cally operated, and adapted to print on a plae paper web on line with and at one end of the time. print. I

2;. Anel'e'ctric recording instrument,.comprising. atime printing mechanism adapted toprint the time and other suitable designations across a paper web, a set of type printing bars below said mechanism, electrically-operated, and means for shifting ,sai-d bars laterally or parallel with the line of the" print of the time printing mechan-ism, saidtype bars being adapted to print on the paper web in line with and at end of the time print.

3. An electric recording instrument com.- prising a time-printing mechanism, having elow said mechanism two sets of oppositely-disposed type bars electricallyoperated adapted to print on a paper web ,in

line with the print of the time-printing mechanism, said type bars being mounted to move laterally by electrical means.

4. An electric recording instrument, comprising a base having thereon a carriage which has a shifting motion laterally, said carriage having thereon a set of type printingbars, the printing types of which radiate through a common point, and electro-. -magnets on said base and an armature on the carriage cooperating with said magnets, whereby the carriage may be shifted in either direction a limited distance.

5. Anelectric recording instrument, comprising a base having centrally two pairs of magnetcoils oppositely-disposed, :1. laterally-movable carriage on said base having. an armature which projects down between the poles of the twp pairs of magnets, type printing bars operatively mounted on said carriage, and means for normally holding said armature midway between the poles of the magnets, Saidmagnets operatof magnet coils oppositely-disposed, a lating'to shift the carriage laterally in either, direction. I A

6. An electric recording instrument, com prising a base having centrally two pairs erally-movable carriage on said base havmg an armature fixed thereto which projects down between the poles of the two pairs of magnets,type printing bars on said carriage electrically operated and radiating to a point or common center, time printing mechanism, and a platen to receive the impact of the printing types, said magnets operating to shift the carriage laterally to print ineither-the units, tens or hundreds placeson a recording tape.

7. An electric recording instrument, comprising. a base having attached to said base a pair of electromagnets, a'laterally-movable carriage on said base having an armature betweeii the poles of said magnets, a set oftype printing bars on said carriage, each operated by an electromagnet which is in circuit with the type bar magnets for shifting the'carriage'laterally, and a time printing mechanism having means in the same circuit for impressing the time on the paper web from the time printi-ng wheels.

8-. An electric recording instrument, comprising a base having thereon a laterallymovable carriage andtype bar printing mechanism electrically-operated, and a removable frame having therein time print ing wheel's, printing ribbon and paper web rollers, and a platen to receive the impact of the-type of the printing bars.

9. In: an electric recording instrument, a frame having thereon time printing wheels, 1 and a printing ribbon, said ribbon being mounted on Wheels transversely across the paperweb, and having means for automaticall-y reversing the direction of the movement of said printing ribbon.

10. In an electric recording instrument, a frame having therein time printing wheels and a printing ribbon mounted on wheels, one edge of each wheel being toothed, a trisingularly-shaped pawl be'tween said toothed wheels and adapted to engage with either, said pawl being pivotally-mounted on the upper end of a laterally-swinging arm, the lower end of said arm being pivoted toa vertically-movable printing pad, a spring to inormally hold the triangularly-shaped pawl and swinging arm in line, said pawl and arm having means thereon whereby the. 1 wheel having the pawlin engagement'therewith will cause the arm to swing over to the opposite wheel when the ribbon on the latter wheel has been entirely unwound and causes a tension on the ribbon.

11. In an electric recording instrument, a removable frame having therein time printing wheels, and above the wheels -a' vert1- cally-movable printing pad and an 1nk 1ng ribbon, and a ribbon-reverslng mechan sm connected with the vertically-movable printing pad, a pair ofpaper web feeding rollers 1.20

in the frame, and a hinged oscillating frame for carrying forward the-paper web, and for moving downwardly the prlnting pad, and I moving the printing l'lbbOIl-h 12. An electric recording instrument, .hav- 25.

ing time printing means and digit or numeral printing means operat ng independently of each other, and electrically connected.up in. different circuits, the two systems v beingso connected that the time printing 0 ing a set of type bars for printing digits, a

laterally-shifting carriage on which said type bars are mounted, and a time printingmechanism connected up in circuit, the'said shifting carriage, type bars and printing mechanism being operated by a single circuit closer.

14; An electric recording mechanism, hav- ,ing a set of type bars for printing digits, a laterally-shifting" carriage on which type bars are mounted, in combination with a time printing mechanism, the said time printing mechanism being operated only after the shifting mechanism has been laterally shifted to the units side of the numeral column, vand not until the type bar mechanism has been actuated.

'15. An electric recording mechanism, provided with a frame having a set of type bars 'for printing digits, a laterally-movable carriage on which said type bars are mounted, two pairs of fixed oppositely-disposed magnets, one of high electrical resistance,

and the other oflow electrical resistance, an armature fixed to the laterally-movable carriage and operating between the poles of said magnets, time printing mechanism, magnets -for operating said time printing mechanism, a circuit including all of said magnets, and contact mechanism operated by the movement of said carriage for controlling the cdnnections of said magnets in said circuit; I

16. An electric recording instrument, comprising time printing mechanism, magnets controlling the position of said printing mechanism, electro-magnetically operated type-bars, and circuits including said magnets and electromagnets.

17 An electric recording instrument, comprising time printing mechanism, magnetscontrolling the position of said printing mechanism, 'a. pluralityt of electro-magnet-ically operated type bars, circuits including said magnets and electro-magnets, means for carrying a paper strip in position to be acted uponby said printing mechanism and said type bars, and means for relatively laterally displacing said strip carrying means and said-type bars.

ALFRED LOUIS SOHM.

Witnesses:

E. M. GALLANT, T. D. Hart. 

